Fuel measuring and distributing pump for oil engines



Jan.' 2o, 1942. F, D BUTLER 2,270,263

FUEL MEASURING AND DISTRIBUTING PUMP FOR OIL ENGINES Filed June 19, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1' 7 I l 62 i @P68 4 K, f1' f -l il' 1` A` v I ll v\ 5] 52 \v" -`1 es/ Jan. 20, 1942. F. D. BUTLER l 2,270,263

FUEL MEASURING AND DISTRIBUTING PUMP FOR OIL ENGINES 4 Fiied June 19. l1940 2 sheets-sheetz a y A- 67 A Er fg is: l

Patentedtlan, 2o, 1942 MEAsUluNG AND nIs'rltlBU'rmG PUMP Fon omENdINEs 'FUEL t Frenk novia Butler, United stetesuavy 5 claims. (ci. 12s- 139) 1946, serial No. 341,501

(Granted undef the eet off Meren aises. ne

. amended AprilI 30, My 'present invention relates to a mechanism assembly as mentioned, the specific conceptsof which contemplate the provision ofthe following:A multiple plunger delivery pump adapted to: be driven from an anti-radial cam and to .have

`a concentrically located rotary liquid fuel supply A4and discharge valve means, and a similarly con'- trolled pressure means adapted to retain said plungers in contact with a cupped bearing ring resting on and Aoperated'by said cam; a'vacuum means appliedA to' the cam end-of saidplungers and adapted either to be used with or independent of said pressure means` for retaining said plungers as mentioned; an additional safety plate adapted to secure said .plungersto said bearing ring; a plunger typey iucl supply pump adapted to be driven fromrsaid cam and similarly having such retainer means. valve control discharge means, and safety plate means, and to take suction from the source of fuel supply and to dis-Y charge into a reservoir forming a 'partof such' assembly; a triangular shaped vfuel measuring Aand distributing port adapted to be located in said rotary valve and to have its inward end in communication with a. fuel pressurepassage located within the latter, vand its outer end termiv nating in the .periphery of 'said valve ,andadapted '(during the rotation of said valve) to form'communica'tion with a series of,de1ivery ports located in the walls oi the rotaryvalve chamber and each connected to its respective atomizer unitl attached o to 'the cylinders of such'oll engine; adjustable means for jlongitudinallyshifting ysaid rotary valve within said valvechamber for varying the quantityof -fuel distributed by said valve i:o.said

delivery ports through said triangular shaped port; a second adjustable means united with said ij'irst mentionedmeans and forcircumferentially slightly rotating" said valvechamber Vin .relation to said triangular shapedport in order to ad-` lvaice or" retard the timing offthe distribution ofthe oil fuel by'V the latter; an adjustable relief valve means located within said rotary valve and adapted relieve Vexcess deliverymfuel baci:l into valve means adapted to'closeofi. the suction of said fuel supply pump when the pressure in said reservoir reaches a. predetermined limit;. and,

variousother minor improvement details in con st'ructionthat Awill beupointed out hereinafter. 4

Withreference 'toA the drawings:` Fig. 1 isfa 'longitudinal section through the assemblyme'ch-l anism of my invention and illustrates the rotary Y Y -fuel delivery control valve in its'ulid-'position of; 55 the housing 1 are tombe lubricated with 4 longitudinal travel; Fig..2 is a transverse section through the assembly on the levels 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 iS-slmller to Flg.- 1 except with the moving elements of the assembly in 'a difierent position Y of valve rotation and with the latter inits engine idling position of longitudinal travel; Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a portion of the assembly as it would appear on the level 4 4 oflig. 3;

Fig. A.5. is similar to Fig; 4 except .as would appear lo on the level 5 5 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is similar to Figs. 4 and 5 except aswould appear on the level 6`li of Fig. 3. A With reference to thev numerals of thedrawings, the'numeral l indicates the rotary vvalve l5` member which is adapted to be aclose slidable and rotatable t'within the. concentric b'ore 2 of'- 7 the combined-V fuel pump and distributor body 3.

and to be rotated within said-bore by the combined cam vand drive shaft member I through 20 the sli'dnble coupling j olnt s located therebetween the upper end of the latter and the lower end- 'thereof said valve member. ,The shaft l is 'aditllled t0 be JOlllnalle'd in th bearing Wl'icfl ti' iS located Within the .Slightly rotatable 7 housing 'I having the journal l, and to be vcorimeans (not illustrated) adapted tobe operated fromv and`in timing with the rotating elements shaped hearing ring `I2 and is adapted to reciprocate the fuel supply pump plunger Iland theI 'E and to besccuredto the latter 'by thc stud- I v4.) bolts I1. The housing 'I'inturn is adapted to said reservoir; a spring loaded pres'sure limiting being limited ln suon rotatable travel uy the 1" so amount of relief .given the ends of. theV semicircular hole l! injournall as clearance to the- -bolt 2l which latter is adapted'tol clamp the casing il snugly about the journal l. Y .v

The movlngclemen'ts of theassembly within OFF-lcs nected at therlow'er end thereof-with/a drive.

-of the oil engine to which the assembly is att ,tachedl- Ihe drivec'am 9 `is ofthe longitudinal (non-radial) type as illustrated and is fintegral A with 'the shaft l andrests upon .the lower thrust V-vvashel-I'I, has the upper thrust washer l-I inscrted therebetween its upper'camsurfacc and .5 the lower surface of the annular and cupped a. heavy grade of lubricating oil or light grade of grease through the lubricating oil porting 2l located in parts 4, 9, III, II and I2. Such lubricant being kept at a level in housing 1 approximately as illustrated in Figs. land 3. The other moving elements of the assembly being lubricated the fuel reservoir 23 (surrounding the mid-section of the body 3) via the suction passages 24 connecting said reservoir with the bore 2, thence the fuel suction space 25 (located in I and adapted to intermittently connect said passages 24 with the delivery pump communication ports 26) and ports 26 (which latter extend between bore 2 and chambers I6) into the fuel delivery pump chambers I6 thereof such plungers I4. These plungers being adapted (during their upward strokes) to discharge this oil guel in chambers I6 therefrom vla said ports 26, thence the fuel discharge cavity 21 (located in I and adapted to be in communication with the fuel pressure chamber 23 internal to I via the radially extending port 29 likewise in I) and into chamber 26 via port 29 as the cavity 21 intermittently forms communication with each of said ports 26. Simultaneously during the foregoing mentioned downward strokes of plungers I4, oil fuel from pressure chamber 26 is forced into the small cylinders 33 (one in tandem with each of chambers I6) above the small plungers 3I (one in tandem with each of the plungers I4) via the fuel pressure recess 32 (located in I and in communication with vchamber 25 via access port 33) intermittently forming communication with the access passages one extending between each of the cylinders 35 and bore2. Likewise simultaneously during the foregoing mentioned upward strokes of plungers I4. this oil fuel in each of thel cylinders 3Il is forced therefrom via said passages 34 and thence the indenture 35 (located in I and adapted to intermittently connect said passages 34 andthe radially extending passages 36 in body 3) and the'passages 36, extending between bore 2 and the oil fuel reservoir 23, into the latter. 'I'hus during the upward strokes of plungers I4 they are (in addition to the vacuum retainer means previously mentioned) forced and retained towards cam 9 by oil fuel under pressure in chambers I6, and during their downward strokes they. are retained towards such cam by oil fuel under pressure in chambers 35. f 'I'he fuel supply pump plunger I3 is adapted (during its downward stroke) to take suction from the source of fuel supply via the fuel-supply connection 31 and passages 35 (the former being located in the upper portion of housing 1 and' the latter being located partly in such portion of said, housing and partly in the lower portion of body 3) thence via the fuel supply passage 39A Y and fuel supply check-valve 4l (the former extending throughout the greater portion of the length of plunger I3 and the latter being located inside and in the vicinity of the upper en thereof said plunger) and intothe fuel supp pump chamber 4I. While during the upward stroke thereof said plunger I3, this oil fuel in chamber aardgas 4I is discharged therefrom via the fuel communication port 42 (adapted`to connect said chamber 4I with bore 2) into indenture 35 (as the latter forms communication between port 42 and the passages 36 at diilerent levels in body 3) and thence via the passages 36 into the oil fuel reservoir 23. `Simultaneously during the upward stroke of plunger I3, the oil fuel (previously admitted) above the shoulder 43 of plunger I3 in chamber 44 is discharged therefrom said chamber via the communication port extending between chamber 44 and bore 2) into said indenture 35 and thence (as the latter Aforms communication with said passages 36) via the passages 36 into the fuel reservoir 23. Simultaneously during the foregoing described downward stroke of plunger I3, oil fuel under pressure is forced from the pressure recess 32 (as the latter forms communication with port 45) via the port 45 into said chamber 44 above shoulder 43. Thus during the upward stroke of said plunger I3 it is (in addition to the vacuum retainer means previously mentioned) forced and retained towards cam 9 by oil fuel under pressure in chamber 4I, and during its downward stroke it is retained towards such camby oil fuel under pres sure' in chamber 44. As illustrated in Figs. l and 3, the cam ends of the plunger I3 and plungers I4 are equipped with ball shaped journals which are adapted to fit slightly loose laterally within4 suitable ball-sockets as illustrated in bearing ring I2, and are adapted to-be secured in such ball-sockets by the safety plate 46 which is made in two semi-circular halves and are secured to ring I2 by screws 41 located as illustrated in y close the suction passage 33 of such pump whenever the pressure on the oil fuel in reservoir 23 exceeds a predetermined limit. The fuel delivery pump system is likewise equipped with an excess pressure relief valve 5I having the resilient retainer spring 52 and adjustment screw 53 (all located within the upper portion of valve I) and being adapted to relieve all excess oil fuel (above the setting of such valve) from fuel pressureA chamber 28 to fuel reservoir 23 via the diagonally extending ports 54 (in I adjacent to 5I), thence the annular shaped recess 55 in I and thence 'through the diagonally downward and outward extending port 55, leading from 55 to 23, into the latter.

The fuel distribution port 51 is triangular in shape and extends from the fuel pressure chamber 23 internal to the rotary valve I through and to the outer-'periphery of the latter and is .adapted (during the rotation of the said valve 'connections 59. A plurality of pressurev release grooves 55 and 6I) are provided in valve I, the

former being located above and the latter below the distributing port s1 and both being adapted to have communication with the fuel reservoir 23 and being in the form of leak-off porting -means for the purposeV of preventing slight fuel leakage from around the outer edges of distributor port 51 from accumulating pressu therebetween such grooves. The rotaryvvalve member I is equipped, at its I' extreme upward end, with the ball portion II which is adapted to fit rotatably 'within the ballsocket portion of the fuel Idelivery control treadle or handle 62 whichJatter has one end thereof n adjustably fulcrum pivoted in the stanchion Il on the adjustment bolt ll-"havingthe butter-ily type clamping'nut Il with which latter to Sc- 4Such handle lorlow speed adjustment screw 01 striking a lug on 63. `The. shifting arrangement of the vcontrol treadle or handle 62 and the shape of the triangular fuel distribution port 51 being such that any vertical movement of l2 `(and consequently port 51 with valve I) will. during the rotation of valve I, alter the length of each individual fuel delivery distribution period. but will not alter the advance or retard of the commencement of 'such fuel delivery distribution period. While any lateral motion of control lever l2 (during the rotation of valve I) will rotatably shift the body I in relation to valve I and distributing port Il and will result in advancing (if moved against 'the rotation of shaft I) or retarding (if moved in 4 the-direction of rotation of shaft l) the entire fuel delivery distribution period but will neither increase or decrease .the length of duration of such period. Hence the entire fuel delivery distributionand timing is controllable (and consequently.-l the power output and timing of the engine) by and through manipulation of the single control lever C2. Should the control handle $2 (as illustrated in Fig. 3) be used, the adjustment bolt Il and butterfly-nut IS may be used to clamp the handle l2 in any Aposition of elevation or depression, while the clamp bolt 2l may b'e used to clamp the Journal I of housing 1 in any, set position of advance or retard. However should thentreadlev (as illustrated in Fig. l) be used, then clamping `of either l2 or l should normally be unnecessary. In the -latter men# ytloned case the cleats Il located on either side of treadle $2 may be used to move the latter laterally.

The-annular shaped casing Il of the fuel reserl voir-2l may be made (as illustrated) of glass, or

A metaicin either ca se it*'is provided witlrpacking 'Il at either end thereof. This reservoir is provided with. a drain plug connection system 1I (Fim 2) which is arranged similar to that of fuel supply connection 21 and the vertically extending port Il (Flgaland il).

'lherotary valve member I is provided, at the upper end of distributor body i, with a packing gland 12 adapted to prevent fuel leakage upward along said valve shove said body 2.

The ball check-valve Il, of fuel supply pump plunger I2, is provided with 4a pin 1 3 which is secured in the upper end of said plunger Iland is adapted to limit the lift of such valve Il from its seat.

In' regards to the manufacture of this type of assembly the following points should be kellt in mind: inasmuch as the valve I rotates with cam l, the valve cavities 2i, 21, 22 and 26 in the former have (during the rotation of I and l) a fixed circumferential relation with said cam and have no relation to the number of suction or delivery pump plungers; in orderto maintain a non-fluctuating fuel delivery pressure, the minimum number of the fuel delivery plungers Il per assembly should be three; in order to allow lap of the valve I over the ports 26, 24, I2 and I6 when the plungers Il and I3 are at the extreme ends of their trave1 and without seriously I effecting or hindering such plungers on their upward stroke travel.' the ratio between the circumferential travel of valve I and the lift of cam 9 should be relatively high; the number of the fuel delivery plungers I4 to the number of the cylinders of the engine have no relation one to the other; a plurality of fuel Vdelivery distribu tion ports 51 located at dierent levels on the valve I and adapted to form communication with delivery ports 5l located likewise on different levels in body 2 could be used if sov desired; rior- Y mally the number 'of the delivery ports 5l should equal the number of cylinders of the engine to which this assembly is attached; in two stroke cycle engines the shaft I should normally rotate at engine crank-shaft speed, while in the four stroke cycle engines the rotation of shaft I should be at one-half crank-shaft speed; if shaft l rotates at engine crank-shaft speed, then the circumferential width of distribution port 51 in degrees `of a circle plus the similar width of one of the delivery ports 58 should normally equal the-period in degrees of crank-shaft rotation of the duration of the fuel delivery; the amount of fuel delivered to the fuel atomizers during each delivery period would depend upon several conditions the vmajor ones of which are the length of such delivery period, the viscosity of the oil fuel, the pressure on said fuel, the size of the restriction in the delivery orifice 58 or therebeyond and the engine compression and combustion pressures; the object of providing either or both a vacuum and an oilpressure means for retainstainless steel metal; and, the control lever |21 shouldnormallybe made of azbearing bro metal.

In regards zo methods of accomplishing various resiilts as described in the foregoing descrip- Y tion of this assembly, the following facts are apparent therein and are therefore mentioned asa matter of record; in ease the assembly is to be constructed to use the vacuum means only for retaining pistons I4 and I3 towards cam I. then thepistons 2| and Il; chambers 3l and M.l communication ports or passages u and ,lrecess- Il and access port Il can all be eliminated and:V

theplunger's Il and "with their respective cyl- Vinderchambe'rs Il and 4| can be relatively reducedinoutside diameters,andinsuchcasethe Ytotal cross-sectional area of said plimgers at `fuel discharge cavity 21 so as to reduce as far as possible the lateral thrust of the discharge fuel on said valve; also in such case plungers 3| should be eliminated, then, if it were so desired, the plungers Il could be equipped with fuel suction ball check-valves, ball limit lift pins, and fuel suction passages similar to 40, 'I3 and 39 re- `spectively of plunger I3 and the fuel suction space`25 of valve I could then be eliminated and the fuel suction of said plungers I4 would be via said ball check-valve in lieu of space 25; on the other hand assuming it is not desired to extend the fuel suction ports 24 (as illustrated) from reservoir 23 to bore 2 vla the recesses in plungers Il, then the lower end of space 25 could be machined in valve I so as to extend entirely therearound and in lieu of ports 24, one `relatively large fuel suction port, adapted to extend directly between reservoir 23 and bore 2 and located between two of the chambers I6, could be used; it is known that the thrust washer II would nothave to be applied between 9 and I2; it is also known that cam 9, washer II and ring I2 could be hardened and magnetized for purposes of retaining plungers I3 and I4 towards said cam; it is further known that lever 62 could be connected up to `an ordinary rotating weighted governor if so desired; and, in the event that this assembly is to be applied to the power plant of a modern automobile, then the treadle control lever 62 should normally be located in the letter similar to and used in lieu of the present foot accelerator thereof for controlling such power plant.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and/or used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what I claimv and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a rotary drive combined fuel pump and distributing assembly having a plurality of axially disposed fuel delivery pump cylinders with cam operated reciprocating pump plungers therein symmetrically arranged about the axis of a rof tary valve member operated through a slidable coupling by said rotary drive and slidably fitting within' an elongated bore, the combination therewith of a fuel supply pump having an axially disposed pump cylinder with a pump plunger therein operated by said cam and connected to take fuel suction (by plunger. displacement) from a source of fuel supply and to discharge such fuel via a recess in said rotary valve member into an annular shaped reservoir surrounding said pump cylinders, an access passage extending between said elongated bore and said reservoir, a plurality of ports one extending between each of said fuel delivery pump cylinders and said elongated bore, a cavity in said rotary valve member adapted to consecutively connect each of said ports with said access passage, an elongated fuel pressure compartment located within said rotary valve member, a concave located in the circumference of the latter and in communication with said fuel pressure compartment and adapted to consecutively connect each of said ports with said compartment, a plurality of radially extending fuel delivery orices arranged symmetrically around said elongated bore, 4a tapering fuel distributing port located in the circumference of said rotary valve member and in communication with said fuel pressure compartment and adapted to consecutively connect each of said fuel delivery orifices with the latter, an adjustable pressure relief valve opening away from said fuel pressure compartment, fuel pressure release means in the form of two annular grooves located in the circumference of said rotary valve member one 'adjacent either end of said tapering fuel distribution port, a single manually controlled means for simultaneously moving said rotary valve member longitudinally in relation to said orifices and for clrcumferentlally rotating said bore in relation to said tapering fuel distribution port, and, retrieving means for returning said plungers in a drection of travel towards said cam after having been forced away therefrom by the latter.

2. Claim l characterized by said retrieving means for returning said plungers in a direction of travel towards said cam to consist of a plurality of relatively small displacement retrieving plungers one in tandem with each of said pump plungers and each slidably fitting within a retrieving cylinder extending in tandem with each of said pump cylinders, and, means for supplying fuel under pressure from said fuel pressure compartment to each of said retrieving cylinders.

3. Claim l characterized by said -retrievng means for returning said plungers in a direction of travel towards said cam to consist of a closed housing containing said cam and the drive ends of said pumpplungers adjacent thereto, and. a connection access extending through said housing for coupling it to a vacuum means.

4. In an oil engine fuel pump and distributing assembly having a rotary drive shaft integral with an axially operating cam, and a rotary valve slidably coupled with and driven by said shaft and slidably mounted within an elongated bore, the combination therewith of a fuel supply pump cylinder having a retrieving pump cylinder in tandem. therewith and axially disposed in re' lation to said rotary valve, a fuel supply pump plunger having a relatively small displacement retrieving pump plunger in tandem therewith and slidably fitting within said supply pump cylinder and retrieving pump cylinder and operatable by said cam, a plurality of fuel delivery pump cylinders having each a relatively small bore retrieving pump cylinder in tandem therewith and axially disposed in relation to said rotary valve, a plurality of fuel delivery pump plungers each having a relatively small displacement retrieving pump plunger in tandem therewith and each slidably fitting within its respective fuel delivery pump cylinder with its tandem retrieving pump cylinder andoperatable by said cam, access port communication means through which to take suction with said fuel supply pump plunger` from a. source of fuel 'supply and through which to discharge said fuel via said rotary valve to a fuel reservoir surrounding all of said pump cylinders. an elongated fuel pressure compartment located within said rotary valve, access port communication means through which to take fuel suction with said fuel delivery pump plungers from said fuel reservoir via said rotary valve and through which to discharge such-fuel via said rotary valve into said fuel pressure compartment, means for supplying fuel under pressure from the latter to all of said retrieving pump cylinders, an adjustable pressure relief valve opening away from said fuel pressure compartment, a plurality of radially extending fuel delivery orifices arranged symmetrically around said elongated bore, a tapering fuel distribution port located in the circumference of said rotary valve and in communication with said fuel pressure compartment and adapted to consecutively connect each of said fuel delivery orlilces` with the latter, fuel pressure release means in the form of two annular shaped grooves located in the circumference of said rotary valve one adacent either end of said tapering fuel distributing port and both having communication with said fuel reservoir, and. a single' manually controlled means for simultaneously moving said rotary valve longitudinally-in relation to d -oriiices and for circumferentially rotating;l 'aid elongated bore in relation to said tapering fuel distributing port, o'r for independently performing either movement mentioned.

5. An oil engine fuel pressure pumphaving a plurality of cam operated fueldelivery pump plungers slidably mounted in a plurality offuel delivery pump cylinders of equal number to said fuel delivery pump plungers, means for supplying fuel to said pump cylinders and means for discharging said fuel from said pumpcylinders un-,f

of said fuel delivery pump cylinders, a fuel supply pump plunger slidably mounted in a fuel supply pump cylinder and adapted to be operated by said cam, a relatively small displacement retrieving pump plunger in tandem with said fuel supply pump plunger and siidably mounted in a retrieving pump cylinder in tandem with said fuel supply pump cylinder, and, means for supplying fuel under pressure from said fuel pressure compartment into each of said retrieving pump cylinders adjacent said retrieving pump plungers for purposes of retaining all of said pump plungers in a direction of travel towards said cam. Y

FRANK DAVID BUTLER. 

